A study from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) was published in this month’s American Journal of Industrial Medicine that indicates workers who are exposed to loud noises at work are more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

The researchers from the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that a quarter of workers report noise exposure, or a history of noise exposure, at work. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are risk factors in heart disease, which is currently the leading cause of death for men and women in this country. An estimated 41 million people, or one in four workers, reported being exposed to noise hazards at work.

NIOSH researchers looked at data from the 2014 National Health Interview Survey, and estimated the prevalence of occupational noise exposure along with hearing difficulty and heart conditions amongst workers in various industries and occupations. In addition to the amount of workers they found exposed to noise hazards at work, they found 12 percent had hearing difficulty (58 percent of these cases can be attributed to occupational noise exposure), 24 percent had high blood pressure (14 percent of cases can be attributed to exposure) and 28 percent had high cholesterol (9 percent of cases can be attributed to noise exposure). Mining, construction and manufacturing were reported as the industries with the highest prevalence of noise exposure.

“Reducing workplace noise levels is critical not just for hearing loss prevention – it may also impact blood pressure and cholesterol,” said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. “Worksite health and wellness programs that include screenings for high blood pressure and cholesterol should also target noise-exposed workers.”

Co-author of the study, Liz Masterson, PhD. said she thinks that if noise at work could be reduced to safe levels, more than 5 million cases of hearing difficulty may be prevented. She also said it is important for workers who are exposed to be routinely screened for high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Read the press release from the CDC for more information and resources.